Ask your cooperating teacher about their class policies. How do they introduce their policies and enforce them throughout the year? Does he or she begin the year going over basic skills, e.g. measurement, or do they begin the year with course topics? Obtain a copy of any handouts about policies or safety from the first week of class.
Observation:
Mrs. Bowers starts off the year with basic skills. She uses the "skill handbook" in the back of the Biology book that all of her students use in order to activate prior knowledge and get the students thinking about what they will be learning this year in class. Her class policies and rules are outline and gone over in class. After going over the class policies students are asked to sign a "code of conduct" and "work ethic" contract, saying that they understand what is expected of them and they also understand what topics will be covered in the class. Students are able to ask questions, make suggestions, and comments in order to further understands the class policies. Along with these worksheets, there is also a classroom expectation worksheet that highlights the major expectations of the classroom. Each expectation is bolded and a brief description is given afterwards. However, what I find most interesting is that after each description, the student is asked to write how they can accomplish or work towards each classroom expectation. This sheet is signed by both the students and their parents.
Reflection:
Mrs. Bowers syllabus is very clear and outlines everything covered in her course. Each chapter falls under 1 of 2 semesters given on the syllabus. After looking at each chapter, students can then look beneath that to find;
"Requirements"
"Instructional Strategies"
"Assessment Strategies"
"Grading"
"What your grade is based on"
Something I learned is that going over the syllabus with your students is worth spending a little extra time during the period making sure that each student clearly understands each part. As a teacher, if you simply "hand out" your syllabus and classroom expectations students can make arguments further down the road that they did not understand what was expected of them. By getting not only them, but their parents as well, too read and sign both of these sheets, you become a much more efficient teacher. Now, not only do your students understand the class policies and assessments, but so do their parents.
Observation:
Mrs. Bowers starts off the year with basic skills. She uses the "skill handbook" in the back of the Biology book that all of her students use in order to activate prior knowledge and get the students thinking about what they will be learning this year in class. Her class policies and rules are outline and gone over in class. After going over the class policies students are asked to sign a "code of conduct" and "work ethic" contract, saying that they understand what is expected of them and they also understand what topics will be covered in the class. Students are able to ask questions, make suggestions, and comments in order to further understands the class policies. Along with these worksheets, there is also a classroom expectation worksheet that highlights the major expectations of the classroom. Each expectation is bolded and a brief description is given afterwards. However, what I find most interesting is that after each description, the student is asked to write how they can accomplish or work towards each classroom expectation. This sheet is signed by both the students and their parents.
Reflection:
Mrs. Bowers syllabus is very clear and outlines everything covered in her course. Each chapter falls under 1 of 2 semesters given on the syllabus. After looking at each chapter, students can then look beneath that to find;
"Requirements"
"Instructional Strategies"
"Assessment Strategies"
"Grading"
"What your grade is based on"
Something I learned is that going over the syllabus with your students is worth spending a little extra time during the period making sure that each student clearly understands each part. As a teacher, if you simply "hand out" your syllabus and classroom expectations students can make arguments further down the road that they did not understand what was expected of them. By getting not only them, but their parents as well, too read and sign both of these sheets, you become a much more efficient teacher. Now, not only do your students understand the class policies and assessments, but so do their parents.